CASTLEREA AND BALLAGHADER REEN RAILWAY.

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, whether he has yet forwarded to the promoters of the Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen Railway any reply to the answer forwarded by them to the Treasury Memorandum. The same hon. Member asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he has received a copy of the Resolution passed at the large meeting held in Loughglynn on Sunday last, in favour of the Castlerea and Ballaghaderreen Railway, both as a relief work and one opening up a large district of country; whether he is aware that the engineer of the line has stated that the amount to be spent on labour in a thickly populated district would be £60,000; and, whether, with the view of providing employment during the summer, he will recommend the Treasury to grant the comparatively trifling guarantee asked for?

COLONEL NOLAN

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, if a guarantee under the Tramway Act for a railroad from Ballindereen to Castlerea has been refused by the Treasury; if the sum asked for is only £600 a year; whether he is aware that an enormous number of people in the locality are in favour of this line; and, if the Midland Great Western Railway Company has offered to work the line on favourable terms?

The answer of the promoters of the railway mentioned in the first question has been referred to the Irish Board of Works, and until the Board's Report is received, no detailed reply can be given. As the point at issue bears directly on the subject of the other questions, it might be more satisfactory if those questions were postponed for a few days.